Thursday 16 December. Lk 7,24,30: The testimony of Jesus about John

The greatest praise Lord Jesus said was of his forerunner, John the Baptist: "Among those born of women there is no greater (prophet) than John (the Baptist)." Even the most beautiful medieval spiritual book, The Imitation of Christ, notes that the saints do not like us to argue about which one is greater among them. The veneration of the saints also leads us to God, whom alone we worship. In the language of the doctrine of the faith, the Virgin is entitled to primary veneration (protodulia), while St Joseph is entitled to higher veneration (hyperdulia), and the other saints to veneration (dulia). In our Church, the order of the saints begins with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, followed by St. Joseph, and immediately after by St. John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah. The Lord Jesus adds to the praise, "But he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he". Redemption is the fulfilment of the promises of the Old Testament. Therefore the new covenant surpasses and fulfils the old one. This is what provides Christianity with the true greatness, by the grace of GOD.